Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-01-15
LEFT IN CHARGE.

. eOWn nOusc 10 u young servant named
Ellen. She really had no choice in the
matter, because the girl had no horht "a
20 to; otherwise she would have preferred
to leave some one more experienced in.
stead of her, Ellen being only IS and not
particularly bright for her age. Mrs.
GrOsyenOr Crescent besitated for long
time; not whelher she was morally. justi-
fed in leaving a young, inexperienced
girl alone in gloomy London house for
several weeks exposed to temptation
which the weariness of solitude would
only render more alluring, but whether
Ellen would take proper care Of the house
and furniture Could she be trusted Ia
keep the windows locked and the doors
bolted; to warn Of area sneaks, and,
above all, TO remain i'll the house like a
faithful sentinel, ever vigilant and alert'
This was the anXious problem whichveXed
Mrs. Grosvenor Crrscent's soul: the other
aspect-the idea OF danger to the girl and
of moral responsibility IL herself-,iid not
occur to her mind in a serious light. At
all events, having after mature delibera-
tion arrived at the conclusion that the
house would he safe under the girl s
charge, she felt I.O qualms Of conscience
on the subject Of the girl herself.
Mrs. Grosvenor Crescent departed then
for her autumn holiday with her mind
full of cares es usually, but untroubled
by any misgivi lgs about Ellen. She had
given the girl good lecture and fully
believed that she was trustworthy. 1t
never entered her head TO speculate
whether she would be dull or nervous,
or how she would manage to get through
the day without a soul 10 speak TO. The
latter reflection, perhaps, would not have
been supertiuous, as Mrs. Grosvenor Cres-
cent had taken care 10 leave her enough
work 20 do TO occupy every single moment
of her time.
1t was not until the evening of the day
on which the family departed that Ellen
began TO experience vague feeling of
discomfort and unsasinesS. As she went
over the house to close it up for the night,
the gathering darkness, the unaccustomed
silence, the resounding echo Of her heavy
footsteps on the uncarpeted floors, the
strange shadows thrown by the street
lamps into the deserted rooms, and above
all the sudden sense of loneliness, startled
and dismayed her. Her mistress had in
quired of her, as matter OF form, whether
she was nervous, and the girl had an
swered in the negative, not in the least
the real meaning of the
word. But she crept up stairs TO her
room that night on tiptoe, instinctively
holding her breath, and starting with
alarm at the creaking of the stairs and
the rustling OF her gown against the ban
listers. FJr the first time in her life she
realized the misery of q sleepless night
caused by sheer nervousness and fright.
la,-lf.,hf ab
about her work Ellen was inclined to
scoff at her fears, which she now regarded
rs foolish and gruundless. But sixteen
hours OF scrubbing and cleaning did not re
store her shaken nerves, and when dark
ness came her uneasiness revived Natur-
ally after some days she grew more
TO her lonely vigil; and by
degrees she contrived to obtain few mo-
,nents of rest and sleep. But her senses
were ever keenly on the alert, and hardly
q night passed without its alarming in
cident, due 20 some sudden and unex-
planned sound In the deserted house. She
was perpetually haunted by the dread of
thieves and burglars, and this so preyed
upon her mind that her health soon be
came seriously affected.
Unfortunately, the rules and reguls
tons laid down by her mistress for her
guidance onk made matters worse. tits
10 be hoped that Mrs. Grosvenor Crescent
In ordering the work she wished to be
done during her absence neither antici-
pated nor desired that the whole of it
would be accomplished. II SO, she over
Iooked the fact that stolid conscientious
hess was a characteristic Of the girl Ellen,
who religiously performed day by day the
task allotted 10 her. Hard work, as we
Ill know is the most efficaciOus medicine
'or ennui; but work unrelieved by any
kind of relaxation soon becomes a severe
strain. Mrs. Grosvenor Crescent's most
direction was that Ellen was
IN no account whatever to leave the
lOuse, and TO obviate the necessity
Tor this she made arrangements for
he girls daily allowance OF pro-
visions to be delivered at the door,
The consequence was that from one
week end to another Ellen breathed no
fresher air than found its way in at an
open window, and saw no more of the
Duter world than was visible from the
house. No wonder, therefore, that her
'pirit drooped and her strength tagged,
while marked melancholy took possession
If her
At length one evening Ellen received
|. communication from her mistress rela-
i've 10 an expected letter, which was to
De forwarded to the country by the next
Dost The letter had duly arrived, and
n obedience to orders the girl directed the
'nyelope and sailed forth Immediately TO
iispatch it. 1t was about 8 o'clock in the
,vening, and IL was the first time she had
Deen outside the door since the family had
eft. The fresh air, laden though it was
With dust and smoke of the London
streets, seemed strangely invigorating,
md the noise and hustle of the traffic and
he talk and laughter of the passers-by
affected her as they might have done a
person Just awakened from a long and
weary dream. She was ut once dGzed
md delighted, and having posted her let
er she fingered moment at the corner,
almost intoxicated with pleasure and
at the unaccustomed scene.
As she thus stood gazing about her, open
she was politely accosted by a
we'll dressed young man who was lounG-
ng against lamp post smoking cigar.
Now Ellen was by no means addicted
% making promiscuous acquaintances
lmong the opposite sex. She was, as we
nave said, plain, unattractive girl, and
Is no one had ever attempted to flirt with
ler she was entirely innocent Of any de-
Jire to court admiration. On any other
occasion she would doubtless have re-
'Ponded to the greeting of this young
nan with scant civility but she could not
'esist the temptation of exchanging a few
words with somebody after her solitary
existence of the past three weeks. The
Toun2 man addressed her SO civily and
and was evidently such a
superior young man-for he wore black
,oat, and had ring upon his finger and
gold chain across his yest-that the girls
labitual reticence vanished and she en-
cred into conversation with him, in course
If which he displayed highly flattering
Of her condescension. She
naIe no objection to his accompanying
her to the door of her masters house,
md after nearly an hours pleasant chat
hey parted in the most amicablc manner,
With an understanding that the young
nan might by chance be passing that way
lbout the same hour upon the following
.VRn,np